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TESTIMONY. Domestic violence: “With confinement, some children go through hell

Cécile Peronnet, from the Family Protection Brigade, in Rennes, treats all domestic violence, whether physical, psychological or sexual. She recounts her daily work during this confinement.

“I work at the Family Protection Brigade, in Rennes, which orchestrates a network of seventy referents in the Ille-et-Vilaine department. With the network, we deal with all domestic violence, whether physical, psychological or sexual. I work on the most sensitive files.

The first week of confinement was relatively calm. But, between the 8e and the 10e interventions have literally exploded. Madness. Then it stabilized in this increase. Generally, the respondent is placed in police custody. Right now, we have them every day.

Yesterday (Thursday 30 April), I started my day at 9:00 am by hearing from a child for whom there was a suspicion of sexual violence from the father. Then, I directed him and his mother to the medical appointment and the psychiatric follow-up. They needed it. I went on to hear a 9 year old boy. At the time of our intervention, several days ago, he had to be hospitalized, his mother hit him so badly. He was then placed in foster care. He’s a great little guy. He managed to tell me about what he had been going through since his 2 years with his mom. In the afternoon, I followed up with the hearing of a teenager for a rape that happened before confinement. The girl, obviously, is not doing well. There is fear of scarification, suicidal ideation, and taking action.

When the children are removed from their homes, they are in a state of amazement. They either downplay the facts or are most total avoidance. Their parents are abusive but remain their parents. To audition them, we wait until they are placed with a host family, in a “safe” and caring environment. There, their speech is much freer.

“Don’t risk the worst”

At this time, we are processing reports for which, in ordinary times, we would have waited a little. We prefer to remove children from their families rather than risk the worst. We are working with social services who, during this period of confinement, remain alert and do a great job in finding host families. We also put a lot of demand on the Specialized Reception Unit for Children at Risk and the child psychiatry team of Professor Sylvie Tordjman, at the University Hospital of Rennes.

We sometimes intervene in cases of domestic violence, such as this woman who calls us because her husband hits her. We intervene, she files a complaint. And the next day, she calls me back to withdraw her complaint, saying that she was wrong. In fact, she slipped and got injured. When the flagrante delicto is obvious, even if the Madam does not wish to file a complaint, we can place the Monsieur in police custody. Our job is to protect victims.

For the past week, they have been called to hear from them and their children. We are trying to maintain the link, it is particularly necessary at this time.

“School, oxygen valve”

I fear that multiple confinements addictions to screens, which are already numerous in ordinary times, and that this will increase violence and sexual acts. Kids see it on the Internet and some want to reproduce it on their little brother or little sister. Who, at the moment, can’t tell anyone. When there is school, they sometimes tell friends or girlfriends.

The school is an oxygen valve for these children. It allows them to leave their homes, to see something other than their family. And a lot of revelations are made there. Right now, children are going through hell and we don’t know it. For these reasons, I am very much in favor of the school starting again as soon as possible.

You know, when I hear a minor, I often hear the unbearable, terrible things. Part of me steps back and says to myself: but how can we do that to a child? The other party stays in touch with him, listens to him, secures him. This dissociation mechanism is my way of protecting myself. When I get out of work, I tell myself that out of all these children who are going through hell, if I could help a few, it’s already good. The Covid don’t scare me at all. Maybe I’m wrong, but the cursor of my concerns is elsewhere. “

Childhood in danger : 119. Violence against women : 3919. Emergency aid: 17.

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